Warriors the Next Generation: Darkpath's story
by Emily Fellers
Summary: Firestar and the original four Clans are long gone. Over the moons, four new clans have gathered. Firestar's spirit still lives on in Wolfkit and Darkkit. As they learn the Warrior code, they discover just how far they will go to defend it...or break it.
1. Chapter 1

I blinked my eyes again, this really was as amazing as my sister, Wolfkit, had promised. Woodclan camp was in a large clearing in the forest. Stepping out of the bramble nursery, it seemed that if the camp was this big then, the forest must strech on forever! Near one end was a large fallen tree, a stump sat close by. Ferns, taller than most of the warriors that passed by them, outlined the camp.  
"Come on Darkkit! Weaselkit and Duskkit promised to show us around!" Wolfkit mewed excitedly.  
She was standing next to two tall black toms. They were slightly taller than her, but then again, so was I. One, I recognized as Weaselkit, had all black eyes with a slight red tinge to them. I was entranced.  
I was barely aware when he rested his tail on my shoulder.  
"That's the warriors den. We're not allowed in there yet but, I'll be top cat in there before long!" Weaselkit sat upright and confident. I purred in amusement "What?" He demanded. I stood up.  
"Not if I get there first!" I teased. He gave me a playful smile and replied. "As if!" I raised my haunches and jumped on his back, causing him to roll over. He reacted quickly and threw me off, making me land on the dirt with a sound 'thud'.  
"Hey you two, didn't anyone tell you that this is the warrior's den, not the training hollow?" I looked up to see a tall long-haired warrior with amusement filled eyes watching us. I looked down at my paws in embaresment. "We'll be in there before long, better get used to us now!" Weaselkit mewed cockily. I simply stared at him. Was he STUPID?  
"Well now, don't you have some spunk! I'm Roseheart, you must be Weaselkit." "And you must be Darkkit! You look so much like your mother I'd be stupid not to notice!" The warrior purred as she brushed past us.

Author's note~ This is a story that is written from two different prospectives. Wolfkit and Darkkit. LibiTheWolf is the co-author and this story will be updated every weekend starting September the 25. Thank you and please remember to review and check back! ^w^ 


	2. Chapter 2

**Three moons later...**  
"All cats old enough to catch their own prey meet by short tree!" Whitestar's voice boomed. I looked up at Brownfeather and pleaded. "Can I go? Please, mom? Wolfkit too?" At the sound of her name, my sister bounded over.

"Yeah mom, can we?" she added to my choruses. "Weaselkit's going, too!" I complained, I could still her him gloating in my head. Brownfeather sighed.

"Fine, BUT you must behave." Excitment bubbled up inside me as I tried to contain myself. I glanced at Wolfkit who was bouncing up and down, her tail held high. I smiled at her as Brownfeather lead us to short tree, which turned out to be the stump near the fallen tree that housed our two elders. I quickly bounded over to weaslekit and sat next to him beaming. He just stared wide eyed for a moment before returning to listening.

"Shellpaw, you have served your clan welland, for that you have earned your warrior name. From now on you shall be called, Shellpool!" Whitestar padded forward and touched noses with the cream colored warrior.

"Shellpool, Shellpool!" the entire clan chorused.  
"Featherpaw, you too, have earned your warrior name. From now on you shall be called Featherstalker!" Whitestar continued by touching noses with the molted she-cat.

"Featherstalker, Featherstalker!" We shouted in unison.

"Tonight you shall sit vigil and, protect the clan as we sleep. You have earned your names well!" Whitstar nodded with prided and the clan began to disperse.

I glanced at Weaselkit. "You'll be an apprentice soon too, right? Who do you want as a mentor?" He looked thoughtful for a moment before responding.

"Goldencloud. I mean she's deputy! She's acomplished ALOT in life!" I took this in and then thought for a bit myself.

"You have alot of ambition yourself! I REALLY want Rosehearrt as my mentor. She was the first warrior I met and she has a good heart and humor! Someday I want to be clan leader myself! It's a big responsibility but, the pride and respect you get makes it worth it!"I told him. Just then I felt a light tap on my shoulder. I looked up to see Brownfeather.

"You'll have to become a warrior first little one." She mewed ushering us along with Duskkit and Wolfkit into the nursery. I noticed Wolfkit approach me.

"What's with you and..." she flicked her tail in Weaselkit's direction. I stared at her. What did she mean?

"We're just friends, why?" My sister narrowed her eyes.

"Awfully fast friends.." she mummbed. I suddenly felt bad. I'd spent more time in the past three moons with Weaselkit than my own SISTER!

"No worries!" I told her. "Wanna play warrior and prey?" I asked, quickly changing the topic. Wolfkit purred, all tension gone. Without warning she pounced on me, giving my a swift play bite.

"Hey! No fair!" I squeaked, caught by surprise. "My turn to be warrior now!" I play growled and dropped immediatly into the hunting crouch Weaselkit had taught me. I raised my haunches, ready to pounce when a warrior named Mossspots stopped me.

"How'd you learn the hunting stance so well?" He asked me.

"My friend Weaselkit taught me! I kinda changed it a bit so my tail lies flatter though..." I told him. Wolfkit trotted over to us and at that moment I realized just how much alike their pelts looked in color.

"Well, it looks very good! There is much room for improvment but, for your age you do it fairly well." The tal warrior turned to Wolfkit. "Let's see yours, young warrior." His eyes twinkled as he watched and corrected Wolfkit on her crouch as well.

"Mossspots! I didn't realize you were back from dawn patrol yet! If I had, these two would look proper by now!" Brownfeather rushed over to us, her meows unlike any I had heard from her before.

"Mom!" I mewed surprised by, her being surprised. She was normally very calm and collected. Quickly she grouped me and Wolkit together in front of her and Mossspots with her tail.

"This is Darkkit." She touched the top of my head with her nose. "And this is Wolfkit." She did the same to my sister.

"Darkkit looks quite a bit like you." Mossspots commented. I could see the disappointment in Wolfkit's eyes.

"Yes, and Wolfkit looks alot like you!" Brownfeather added. Mossspots looked from his own coat to Wolfkit's.

"I see what you mean! She has a pattern all her own though. It does remind me of a wolf's pelt."

I looked at Wolfkit's pelt and realized that she did look ALOT like Mossspots and, what he said was true. She had an all grey coat of fur except from her nose to her underbelly which was white. "What?" She demanded noticing my gaze.

"I was just noticing that Brownfeather was right! You do look alot like Mossspots!"

"Hey! Hey!" Wolfkit suddenly started to bounce up and down around Mossspots. Apparently she had something to say.

"Are you our dad? Huh? Are you?" Mossspots purred in amusment and Brownfeather shot him an apologetic look.

"Why don't you tell them, Mossspots? It's not my place to say anything..." Mossspots nodded.

"Yes, I am." He purred. "And I'm proud of it."

I was so filled with happiness that I didn't think my body could hold it all in. Wolfkit looked as though she felt the same way.

"Does this mean I can call you dad?" I mewed anxiously.

"Me too?" Wolfkit added sliding up next to me.

Mossspots purred again. "Sure, but please behave for your mother." He mewed, giving Brownfeather a look I didn't quite understand.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Wolfkit and I were up and bouncing around Mossspots- no our FATHER- again.

"Alright, you two, enough excitment for one day. It's time to go to sleep, my little ones." Brownfeather mewed giving our father a quick lick, before guiding us gently to the bramble nursery. As we entered my paws began to feel heavy and weighted. As I laid down next to our mother I watched Wolfkit lie down with reluctance.

"I'm not..." she yawned, "tired."

"Of course not." Brownfeather purred softly.

"Well, I am." I curled up closer to Brownfeather and her warmth. Not long after I fell asleep.

* * *

**Author's note~ I scincerly apologize for this chapter late posting. Several issues occured and, yes, I will admit I'm a BIG procratinator... ^^; Thank you for reading and I now hope to update once a week to keep the story fresh! :)**

**Author's funny~ Originally Libi and I debated over what warrior name to give shellpaw. I said that 'Shellpool' sounded good. Libi's responce? ... "I like the name 'ShellHEAD'. Then the whole caln can shout, 'Shellhead! Shellhead!'"**


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